Key Functions:

The objective of the General Legal Division (GLD) is to protect the legal interests of the Organization. To that end, GLD provides a wide spectrum of advice, services and assistance on legal matters affecting the operation and activities of the Organization. GLD provides such advice and assistance to the principal and subsidiary organs of the Organization, the Secretary-General, Secretariat units, offices located away from Headquarters, including United Nations (UN) Information Centers, the UN Economic Commissions and peacekeeping missions, as well as the separately administered Funds and Programmes and other subsidiary organs established by the General Assembly. Refer to ST/SGB/2008/13.

Interpreting and advising on certain Articles of the Charter, of General Assembly resolutions and decisions, of the regulations, rules and mandates of programmes and activities, and of other administrative issuances of the Organization;

Supporting the peacekeeping operations of the Organization, including arrangements with Governments, other international organizations, UN Agencies and other actors in the field and commercial vendors for personnel, equipment and logistics support; and peacekeeping processes, policies and procedures; claims against the Organization arising from such operations; commercial insurance arrangements and related claims;

Supporting the Organization’s procurement activities and contracting requirements and the resolution of related disputes, controversies and claims by or against the Organization in relation to such procurement activities and requirements, including throughout the completion of the Capital Master Plan, and for the ongoing reform of the Organization’s procurement processes;

Supporting the activities and operations of the Organization, its separately administered Funds and Programmes and other subsidiary organs, including development, technical and humanitarian assistance activities;

Providing advice and substantive action in relation to credible allegations of fraud or corruption or other wrongdoing by UN officials, experts on mission and/or third parties, through referrals of cases of such conduct to national authorities, and cooperating with national proceedings by the production of documents and witnesses, within the framework of the Organization’s privileges and immunities;

Developing and implementing guidelines and modalities for expanding and evolving partnerships and other forms of cooperation with the private sector, including on the use of the name and emblem of the UN;

Providing advice on human resources matters and policies; reviewing and clearing all administrative issuances; representing the Secretary-General before the United Nations Appeals Tribunal in all cases involving both the Secretariat and the separately administered Funds and Programmes, and providing advice to the offices representing the Secretary-General before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal;

Representing the United Nations before other judicial and arbitral bodies in order to meet the Organization’s obligations under the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations to provide an appropriate mode of settlement for claims arising out of contracts or of a private law character; and

Participating in and providing advice to standing or ad hoc Secretariat and other bodies, such as, for example, the Headquarters Committee on Contracts, the Staff Management Committee, the Advisory Board on Compensation Claims, the Property Survey Board, the Board of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, and the Claims Board.